1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which pickups and records still and moving images and a control method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, image processing apparatuses, which pickups still and moving images by using an image pickup device such as a CCD sensor or CMOS sensor as represented by digital cameras or digital video cameras have been widely used. In such an image processing apparatus, pickuped images are recorded as digital data files (pickuped image files).
In general, pickuped image files are recorded using a file system (folder structure) using folders (directories). There has been proposed a technique of classifying pickuped image files by using folders at the time of recording operation so as to facilitate search and the like afterwards. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-333470 discloses a technique of allowing a user to select a recording destination folder for a pickuped image file from existing folders in a recording medium or to create a new folder and designate the new folder as a recording designation.
In this conventional technique, however, when a new folder is to be set as a recording destination for a pickuped image file, the user needs to create a new folder before a shooting and designate the new folder as a recording destination. In addition, if a new folder is created and set as a recording destination and the recording destination is changed before an actual shooting, an empty, unnecessary folder is left. Such an empty folder becomes a search target when a search is made for an image in the recording medium to, for example, play back the image, and hence becomes a cause for an increase in search processing time. In addition, this folder becomes a hindrance when the user searches for a desired image, and hence also becomes a cause for deterioration in operability.
According to the above conventional technique, when a new folder is to be set as a recording destination, the user creates a folder and designates a recording destination with respect to a recording medium currently loaded in the image processing apparatus. If, therefore, a new folder is created and designated as a recording destination, and the recording medium is replaced before a shooting, the empty folder is left in the removed recording medium. Furthermore, since the new folder designated as a recording destination does not exist in the newly loaded recording medium, a pickuped image file cannot be recorded in the desired folder.
In addition, conventionally, there has been available a digital still camera which includes a means for selecting a folder in which a pickuped image is to be stored and displays the selected folder so as to facilitate image search by classifying/organizing images at the time of a shooting (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 6-78260). Furthermore, there is available an image pickup apparatus including buttons which allow efficient directory creation and a display unit which displays directory information even if the apparatus has neither a large monitor unit nor a keyboard unit (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-201309).
Although these conventional techniques can display the information of created folders and directories, they cannot notify a user of a state wherein a new folder is to be created in conjunction with shooting operation. For this reason, even if a camera automatically changes the save destination for a pickuped image to a new folder or new directory, the user cannot know it, resulting in difficulty in performing image search processing or the like.
In addition, the above conventional techniques are not designed to display the state of a camera. Therefore, the user cannot know the timing at which the camera automatically creates a new folder or new directory. For this reason, it is difficult to change settings as needed and construct a desired folder structure or directory structure.
Further, as another example of a proposed technique of classifying pickuped image files so as to facilitate search and the like afterwards. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-54041 discloses an image pickup apparatus which stores a pickuped image in a folder having a creation date which is the same as the shooting date, and creates a new folder if such a folder does not exist.
Saving a plurality of related images (sequenced images) obtained by, for example, continuous shooting in the same folder facilitates management. In addition, the user is likely to expect that such images will be saved in the same folder. However, since the image pickup apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-54041 is based on the assumption that images are classified according to shooting dates even sequenced images are saved in different folders if they were pickuped on different dates.